This time of year is full of festive occasions, and such occasions call for festive cocktails! Whether you are looking for big or small gifts, craft spirits are easy to buy, customize, and give. Here are five creative ways to give craft alcohol this year to raise the holiday spirits of your gift recipients!

1. Little Bottles of Cheer

If you need adult stocking stuffers or a small gift for several people (like colleagues or employees), small bottles of craft liquor are a great option! Giving craft spirits in small quantities allows you to mark a celebratory occasion without spending too much money or putting in too much effort. 

If you are buying gifts for a large group, say for an office gift or party favor, here is an added tip: get at least two different liquor options — one brown and one clear — so that recipients can trade for the one they prefer, if desired. If you like the little bottle idea, but you are shopping for an individual or a smaller group, consider giving three to five varied bottles for a craft booze flight!

2. Signature Winter Cocktail 

For a thoughtful craft spirit gift that requires a little more effort, try mixing and bottling your own signature cocktail (or mixer). The internet has tons of winter cocktail lists with recipes to try, so feel free to borrow one if you are not feeling particularly inventive. Find a cocktail you love, or let your web search inspire you with seasonal ingredient and flavor ideas!

There are a couple directions to take the signature cocktail idea. One way is to bottle a single serving. Combine all the ingredients in a food grade glass bottle, tie a festive ribbon around it, and the gift is good to go! For an added touch, consider attaching a label or card to list the ingredients and give instructions for serving. 

Another way to package your signature cocktail is by making a concentrate. A concentrate will include all the flavorful, non-alcoholic ingredients — like infused simple syrup, bitters, or fruit juice — so the recipient can add club soda and craft spirits to taste. A concentrate is more versatile than a bottled single serving, because the strength and type of liquor can be adjusted. A concentrate can also be served with just sparkling water for a festive mocktail. This versatility makes the signature cocktail concentrate a meaningful gift for people who do not drink or who are looking to limit their consumption of alcohol.

3. Recipes for DIY Drinks

If versatility is appealing to you but ingredient preparation is not something you have (or want to make) time for, let your gift recipient do the heavy lifting with DIY recipes. First, purchase a large bottle of their favorite craft spirit — or yours, if you are not sure what they like. Then find and print a variety of cocktail recipes that call for that particular spirit (see also ‘Why Is It Called A Cocktail?‘). Here are some ideas that might inspire you:

• a bottle of craft tequila with paloma, ranch water, and jalapeno margarita recipes 
• a bottle of craft bourbon with mint julep, eggnog, and old fashioned recipes
• a bottle of craft vodka with moscow mule, cosmopolitan, and apple cider martini recipes 

There are so many classic and contemporary cocktail recipes out there, but that does not mean you can’t be creative and share your own delicious craft spirit concoctions! For a personal touch, consider writing the recipes out by hand on festive recipe cards rather than printing them from a computer.     

4. The Distillery Tour Box

For the serious drinker with a discerning palate, you can create a distillery-themed gift box. Gift boxes are fun to put together, because you can go a number of directions and include holiday decorations, glassware, distillery merchandise, or other thematic and aesthetic details. Choose one distillery or a handful, and curate the box however you want. Here are some ideas to get you thinking:

• a different bottle of craft spirits from three or more local distilleries
• a bottle of liquor, distillery branded rocks glasses, and a specialty ice cube tray
• a bottle of local rum, eggnog, a festive mug, and fuzzy socks
• a bottle of craft whiskey, shot glasses, and a distillery gift certificate or tour tickets

If you have the time, find a nearby distillery or distilleries where you can do your own tasting. That way, you can honestly recommend any craft spirits you include.

5. The Best of Local 

Have someone on your list who is a gin connoisseur or a whiskey lover?  DistilleryNearby.com makes it easy to find the best around! Sometimes your initial search does not yield results, but you likely still have a distillery nearby. If this happens, try browsing by state. Once you have found your options, you can do a little internet research to determine which local craft distillery makes the best tequila, vodka, or other spirit. Ideally, you will find distillery locations near where your gift recipient lives. If you are also local, you can have a bit of fun doing the tasting research yourself!

This gifting option is one of the most personal, as it requires that you a) know the recipient’s favorite variety of hard alcohol and b) put in some time to determine the best locally available version. Hopefully your effort will be received so well that the person who gets your gift will have a new favorite craft spirit, and a local business will have a new loyal customer.

Visit Our Website

At Distillery Nearby, we know that the number of craft distilleries in the United States is growing at a rapid pace. The number of options can be overwhelming. Our mission is to help you sort through all of the craft distillery options near you, so you can make your decision and move on to the enjoyment of visiting a local distiller. 

Do you own or operate a craft distillery? Check distillerynearby.com to see if your business’s listing has been claimed. If not, you can claim it for free and upload your own photos and information to get more customers through our database.